A neighborhood French bakery has two raisons d’être: Pastry, and bread. Arvada’s La Patisserie Francaise scores on both counts, with a solid bank of bread backing up its sprawling selection of sweet treats.

Weekdays here start at 7 a.m., which is the best time to pick up your croissants, while they are still warm and fragrant with yeast.

If you’re on the way to the office, pick up a box of palmiers, flaky and sweet — your co-workers will be thrilled. If you’re on the way home, pick up an apple galette or another pastry for dessert later.

Don’t leave without a loaf of bread. While perhaps not the very best baguettes in Denver, these may certainly be the best in the neighborhood. And warm, fresh-baked bakery bread is better than the pre-wrapped supermarket stuff anyday, well worth the extra stop in a day full of errands.

First opened in 1980, La Patisserie Francaise recently changed hands, but new owners Jeffrey and Lisa Van Puten were able to retain key staff, which means the baking’s as good as it ever was. Which is to say, very good.

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